Former Chicago Bears star safety Roosevelt "Rosey" Taylor has passed away at the age of 82, the team announced Friday.
Taylor, a native of New Orleans and an alum of Grambling State University, joined the Bears in 1961 and went on to become a beacon of consistency for the franchise, having never missed a game -- 112 appearances with 102 starts -- in his first eight seasons.
Known for his ballhawk abilities, the 5-foot-11 defensive back registered 23 interceptions and scored four defensive touchdowns playing under Hall of Famer George Halas from 1961-67 and coach Jim Dooley in 1968.
In 1963, Taylor was named first-team All-Pro and earned his first Pro Bowl nod after leading the league with a career-high nine INTs. He also helped the Bears topple the Giants at Wrigley Field to win the league championship that same year.
Taylor was voted second-team All-Pro in 1964 and 1965, and named to his second Pro Bowl in 1968. After starting the first six games of the 1969 campaign, Taylor, along with a 1971 fifth-round draft pick, was traded to the 49ers in exchange for guard Howard Mudd. He started 30 of his 34 contests in two-and-a-half seasons with the Niners and retired after playing another full 14-game slate as a member of the Redskins in 1972.
In honor of his largely productive tenure in Chi-Town, Taylor was ranked as the 56th best player in Bears history in the "Chicago Bears Centennial Scrapbook" in 2019, a publication which commemorated the team's 100th season.
